Home Equity Loans – second mortgage

Kate Ross asked:




There are many issues involved in this decision. These issues include the amount of money you can save on interests, the possibility to loose those savings due to changes in market conditions, the possibility to end up paying even more than what you projected, the possibility of being unable to repay the monthly installments and having to refinance your loan.

Home Equity Loans

Home equity loans are secured loans that guarantee the lender repayment of the loan with the remaining equity on your home. Equity is the difference between your home value and the outstanding debt guaranteed by the property (usually a home mortgage). The secured nature of these loans provides the borrower with many benefits.

For starters, with home equity loans you can obtain higher loan amounts than with unsecured loans. Moreover, you can obtain longer repayment programs and thus, lower monthly payments than with unsecured loans. But most importantly, these loans have lower costs because the interest rate charged is significantly lower than the rate charged for unsecured loans. All of this is due to the lower risk that the use of collateral implies for the lender.

Interest Rate

As Explained above, due to the lower risk, home equity loans feature lower rates than almost any other kind of financial product. These loans offer rates lower than credit cards, store cards, unsecured personal loans, pay day loans, cash advance loans, overdrawn agreements, etc. Probably the only loans that feature lower rates are home loans and some subsidized student and business loans.

Not only the interest rate is lower than almost every other financial product, it also comes in two shapes. You can obtain a home equity loan with a fixed interest rate or with a variable (adjustable) interest rate. There are some differences between these two kinds of interest rates than can be very important when it comes to deciding which loan best suits your needs.

Variable or Fixed

A fixed interest rate stays unaltered through the whole life of the loan which in turn implies fixed monthly payments over the whole life of the loan too. This provides a lot of certainty to the borrower that can budget the loan payments with confidence knowing that they will stay the same each month. But, it doesn’t provide such certainty to the lender who can suffer from inflation and loose money to a fixed rate. That’s why fixed rates are always higher than variable rates at any given time.

Variable rates on the other hand, will change every three or six months according to the market conditions. Almost always these changes are moderate and don’t alter monthly payments too much. However, if an increasing tendency subsists on the market, a variable rate can turn a home equity loan into a very onerous deal.

Bernice

Jim Aldridge asked:




What are the typical considerations when purchasing a real estate property? When a home for sale catches your attention, what do you have in mind? Is it the price of the house? Is it the money in your bank? Or will it be the money that you can make each month? Location, number of bedrooms; just exactly what runs in your mind? Well, all of these things are what goes in the mind of a home buyer. If you don’t have the money to pay in cash then you are probably thinking of applying for a mortgage loan.

If you are a typical buyer who don’t have the budget to purchase a real estate property or limited due to a bad credit then you will find home equity loan attractive. It is a type of home mortgage loan that will allow you to borrow even a huge amount of money provided that the house serves as the collateral. It makes it secured for the lender who will not worry about default payments. Thus, it also benefits the borrower for ensuring that the mortgage is the priority when budgeting.

Benefits

There are many reasons why the home loan equity is a smart choice. These include:

1. Good credit score is not a requirement hence qualifying is easier- you don’t need that credibility to avail this loan. After all, you can’t run away with the house.

2. It offers a competitive annual percentage rate- it lets you assess the mortgage loan cost in terms of percentage. Say for instance, the loan rate is 10% and the applied loan cost is $10,000. Your interest rate for the year will be $1,000 which you can then divide by 12.

3. Huge amount of loans is available- as mentioned earlier, this type of loan offers less risk in case of default payments. The lender can easily collect since the house serves as collateral

4. It usually offers mortgage loans that are tax deductible

Apart from the benefits of home equity loan, it can also offer different purposes that are not relevant to real estate property acquisition such as payment for college education, refinancing, consolidation of high-interest debts and it can only be used just for home renovation or remodeling.

Downside

You may find home equity loan very generous and helpful however, it is wise to know its downside. For one, you can be homeless the moment you default in payment. Thus, it is the most common type of loan that some scammers use to take hold of someone else’s valuable property. Make sure that every transaction is documented.

Some tips to remember when availing home equity loans include choosing from variety of sources such as credit unions, banks and brokers; reach out to friends and relatives for connections; and compare rates available. Also, remember that applying for a loan is a huge decision that requires logical analysis and considerations. Your real estate property is at stake. If your purpose of availing a loan is not as important as your house, consider looking around for other types of loans.

Cheryl

Nick Messe asked:




Mortgages loans can be a confusing topic even for the financially literate and the government’s attempts to clarify matters sometimes does more harm than good. One way to start deciphering the code is by enlisting the help of a mortgage professional, but it pays to know something of the basics from the beginning.

The difference between a mortgage home loans and mortgage equity loans is fundamental. First, though, they share the key similarity of being secured loans, which means that both rely on a borrower’s home as collateral for making the loan.

A mortgage loan, however, is the kind of loan that is used to purchase a home. It can be a first mortgage, meaning that there is no other financing on the home, or it can be a second mortgage that is obtained when the home is purchased, meaning that there is also a first mortgage being made at the same time. After purchasing the home, a homeowner can decide to do a home loan refinance, arranging for new financing that replaces the existing mortgage or mortgages. This option can make sense, for example, when interest rates have fallen and the mortgage refinance results in lower monthly payments.

With an equity home loan, there is typically a first mortgage already in place and the homeowner wishes to borrow some additional money, using the equity in the home as collateral. In this case, equity simply means the difference between the market value of the home and the amount of existing mortgage debt against the property.

Mortgage equity loans, then, are by definition second mortgages since they are secured by the home and are not first in line. They differ from other mortgage loans by allowing the borrower to take cash out of the property and to use that cash in any way the borrower chooses.

The borrower has two equity loan options. First, the borrower can take out a home equity loan for a fixed amount that is disbursed in a lump sum to the borrower when the loan closes. After the closing, the borrower starts making payments on the full amount borrowed. Second, the borrower can establish a Home Equity Line of Credit, or HELOC.

With a HELOC, the homeowner establishes a line of credit, based on equity in the home, up to a maximum amount. The homeowner can then use that credit at any time and in any amount up to the maximum, often by simply writing a check. With a HELOC, the homeowner makes payments only on the amount that has actually been drawn against that line of credit.

With both types of mortgage equity loans, it pays to pay close attention to rates and terms, as they vary widely between lenders. Interest rates are often variable and loans frequently must be repaid within relatively short periods. Consulting with a knowledgeable and experienced mortgage expert is perhaps more important when considering equity loans than in other situations given the number of options and the different ways that lenders structure these transactions.

Willie

Ross Bainbridge asked:




Mobile homes built on fixed foundations are appreciating properties – their values appreciate with the passage of time. Hence, after a few years of timely mortgage payments, the value of the mobile home will be much higher than what it was bought for. This difference is called mobile home equity. Equity on a mobile home is equal to the numerical difference between the appraisal value of the home and the value of the mortgage.

Equity is built up over a period of time, and it is the possession of the owner of the mobile home. Since equity is a financial asset, it can be used as collateral to take a further loan. Such loans are called mobile home equity loans. Mobile home equity loans could be up to 85% to 100% of the value of the built-up equity on the home, depending on the credit score of the borrower and policies of the lender.

The process of taking a mobile home equity loan is much simpler than taking a normal loan. This is because the mobile home itself will be kept as collateral, or to be more specific, the equity on the home will be the collateral. The lenders would first get the property appraised through their appraisal officer or any other licensed professional. Then the value of the mortgage taken earlier is verified, and the difference is calculated to provide the equity. Mobile home equity loans carry lower rates of interest and can be spread over longer periods than ordinary loans.

A mobile home equity loan can be described as a mortgage upon a mortgage. Equity loans become very useful if a person wishes to start a small business enterprise after buying a home. Usually the lenders would not ask any questions about the purpose of the equity loan – it can be used for anything from renovating the home to going on a cruise. Having said that, it is essential to remember that a home equity loan does increase the indebtedness of the person, and it is best to avoid them. No lender would provide a second equity loan, no matter how much equity is built up.

Marcia

Jim Aldridge asked:




Need cash fast but can’t find the right resources? Or perhaps because you have a not so decent credit score? Whichever the case maybe, home equity loan might be the right fit for you. Of course, this only applies if you own a home.

Unlike the usual refinancing, these are just small loans which allow a borrower to pay an existing loan. While refinances take quite a while to process, home equity loans are more efficient. Since the equity of the borrower’s house serves as the main collateral, lenders feel more secured hence release the loan quickly. This means that in the event you are unable to settle the payment, you will be at risk of losing ownership of your house.

There are certain types of home equity loan such as Home Equity Loans, Home Equity Lines of Credit and Bridge Loans.

Home Equity Loans
Similar to conventional loans, it is a type of loan that uses equity as collateral. It is the difference between the value of your house and the total amount of money you have paid. To illustrate, if the appraisal value of your house is $300,000 and your mortgage balance is $200,000, your equity is $100,000. Equity is inversely proportional with your mortgage balance; which means that as your equity goes higher, your mortgage balance decreases.

With home equity loans, the lender gives the complete amount of loan which will be paid back by the borrower in an installment basis. In most cases, it comes with a fixed interest rate.

Some of the many benefits of home equity loans include longer terms which could reach up to 15 years, it comes with a fixed rate so there is no guessing game, and you can borrow the full amount of the equity. People choose it to pay for college education, home improvement or to purchase any consumer goods.

HELOC
Unlike the home equity loan, the HELOC or home equity line of credit doesn’t involve a one-time release of the applied loan. It is basically like a credit card process; a line of credit. This means that if you don’t spend a dime, you won’t have to pay anything.

Some of the benefits of HELOC include adjustable rate, flexible terms of payment, and once the total amount of loan owed is repaid, and you will be able to borrow it again. Most people apply for HELOC to support emergency funds. As the money is available for withdrawal, it can somehow add financial security as need arises.

Bridge Loans
If you are planning to sell your house and you need cash to make improvements for your house before selling it, then you will be interested in availing bridge loans. So this type of loan is most used by typical home sellers.

Some of the features of bridge loans include having competitive loan costs which could reach up to 80% of the total market value, and payments can be settled after 3 or 4 months after release.

These loans can be helpful at times when you are in great need of money. However, take note that the risk of losing your valuable asset is at risk hence before considering to apply for any loan, try to find other resources which will put you at less risk or no risk at all.

Kelly

Jon Spears asked:




The state of Texas has some pretty interesting refinance rules. This is especially true when one wants to pull cash or equity out of their home.

There are two types of mortgage refinances. The first type is called a rate and term refinance. This is simply when someone wants to lower their rate or change the term of their original home loan. For example, someone with a 30 year mortgage at 7% may want to refinance to a 5.25%, 15 year mortgage.

In this instance they are not pulling cash out they are just changing the rate and/or the term of their original loan. During the “refinance boom” (2001-2004) many loan officer and mortgage brokers did dozens and dozens of rate and term refinances because mortgage rates dropped so low.

Most people refinance when their home loans when the market rate is much lower than their current mortgage rate. A good rule of thumb is when you can save about 1% it may make sense to refinance.

The second type of refinance is called a Texas Cash out Refinance. This is when someone wants to pull cash out of their home in addition to lowering or changing the rate or term.

Texas once outlawed the ability to pull cash out of one’s home but now allow this as long as the loan meets these criteria:

80% Texas Cash Out Rule: This rule states one that the loan can not exceed 80% of the home’s appraised value.

For example, if one’s home is worth $100,000 and the current mortgage owed is $50,000 than an equity loan can go up to $80,000 (80% of 100k). Thereby netting the borrower $30,000, less closing costs.

3% rule: This rule state that the total fees can not exceed 3% of the loan’s value. For example, if someone does a 100K equity loan the total fees can not exceed $3000. This means broker, title, survey, appraisal, underwriting, doc/prep (everything!) can’t exceed 3%. This law was intended to protect borrowers but it actually penalizes lower loan amounts making it difficult for those with small loans to take advantage of their equity.

This is a great example of regulation doing the opposite than what it was intended. So for those with loan amounts under 100K, it’s very difficult to do a home equity loan as state law also requires one to purchase a new title policy each time one refinance. Title policies usually run 1% of the loan amount.

However, it’s important to note that the 3% law does not apply for those doing an investment cash out home equity. So it’s actually easier to do a home equity loan on an investment property than on an owner occupied property in Texas!

12 Day rule: This is one of the more unique rules. Whenever you do a home equity loan your loan officer or mortgage broker will ask you to sign a 12 day form. This form states that the loan can’t close until 12 days after the date of the application. I guess the state of Texas wants you to have 12 full days to think about your loan!

3 day rule: Then, after we wait 12 days, we are required to wait 3 days until we fund. Not to mention one is required to look and sign the final HUD (settlement statement) 24 hours before closing.

So to make things simple: The loan can’t close for 12 days. Then, once the HUD is prepared by the title company the borrower(s) must review and sign the HUD 24 hours before we close. Then we can’t fund the loan for 3 full business days.

These rules are why it often takes 30 full days to fund a Texas Cash out loan.

Oh, and by the way. The final rule…one must wait 12 full months between home equity loans. So if you do a Texas cash out one year and the price of your home goes up significantly you must wait a year before refinancing.

Because Texas home equity loans have so many rules it is important your mortgage professional truly know the rules so everything goes smoothly with your refinance.

Susan

Carrie Reeder asked:




When you apply for a home equity loan, lenders consider your creditworthiness when deciding whether or not to extend a loan. Your creditworthiness is assessed based on three things: credit history, income, and loan-to-value ratio.

Credit History

As with any loan, your credit history will have a major effect on home equity loan availability and loan interest rates. Fortunately, qualifying for financing on a home you already own is much easier than qualifying for a new home loan. If you have good credit, you should have no trouble qualifying for a home equity loan. You should also be able to obtain a relatively good rate. If you have bad credit, you should still be able to obtain a home equity loan, but your rate will probably be a bit higher. Before applying for a home equity loan, take time to pull your credit report. If possible, improve your credit rating by removing mistakes and old debt.

Income

Even though the equity that has built up in your home belongs to you, lenders will still want to make sure that you can pay back any amount that you borrow. To determine your ability to repay, lenders will assess your monthly income and your total debt-to-income ratio. (Debt-to-income ratio is a term used to describe how much of your monthly income goes towards paying your mortgage, credit card debt, loan installments, and other financial obligations, including the home equity loan for which you are applying.) Most lenders will want to make sure that your total debt does not exceed 38 percent of your monthly income.

Loan-to-Value

The loan-to-value ratio is the amount you owe on your house versus the amount your house is worth. For example, if your house is worth $100,000 and you still owe $70,000, your loan-to-value ratio is 70 percent. When you get a home equity loan, the value of your home is re-assessed. The lender will add your current mortgage balance to the requested home equity loan amount, and divide the sum by your home’s current value. The final amount is the new loan-to-value ratio. Many lenders want to keep this amount below 80 percent. However, some lenders are willing to loan you 100 percent of your home’s value or more. Here is a list of recommended Home Equity Lenders online. It’s important to use a reputable lender online to make sure your personal information is secure.

Monica

Daniel Roshard asked:


Your home can help you raise cash. How? Home equity loans have become a popular way of raising cash. The amount that you owe for your house subtracted from its current appraised worth is the equity on your house. Or simply put, it is the difference between the appraised value of the house and the amount you owe on the mortgage. As you pay off your mortgage or as the worth of your home increases, you build your home equity.

Your home’s equity can be used as a collateral to loan money. It can serve as a guarantee so that if you are unable to pay your debt, the lender can sell your collateral as a payment for your debt.

The home equity loan will serve as a second mortgage that will allow you to turn it into money which you can use to improve your home, for college education or whatever expenses that you are in need of.

There are two kinds, the home equity loan or the lines of credit. These types of debts are repaid in shorter time spans than first mortgages. If normally, a first mortgage may be repaid in 30 years, a second mortgage may be repaid in as short as 5 years to as long as another 30 years, averaging at 15 years.

Lines of credit is more flexible than the home equity loan because you can stay in debt with home equity loans. Interests are only being paid while the principal amount remains the same. The interest rate, therefore, varies as the principal varies.

These two types of debts have become common since the 1980s when values of properties increased tremendously and homeowners have taken advantage of this to pay off personal debts. Low interest rates and that fact that it could be deducted from your taxes are some of the reasons why they have become very attractive.

Though second mortgages have interest rates higher than first mortgages, it has lower rates than credit cards or other personal loans.

Homeowners usually opt for home equity loans when they are in need of a large amount of cash like debt consolidation or paying off hospital bills or even home improvement projects. Also, repayment terms are quite simple and consistent throughout the entire payment period, regardless of inflation rates.

Having discussed the plus points and pitfalls of home equity loaning and lines of credit, it is now possible for you to decide whether these types of cash conversion will work for you. You can now opt for the type of loan that would fit your very needs.



KEITH

Derrick Adolfo asked:


Equity release allows you to release the tied-up equity in your house, that is, the balance on your property, that is the actual monetary worth of your assets minus liabilities. Apart from the requirement that you need to be a legal homeowner in the UK, age is the primary eligibility criterion for equity release mortgage scheme.

You can avail to this mortgage to supplement a part of your retirement income.

Research shows that more people intend to avail to this scheme as much as to unlock the potential of their homes. In all instances, age is the primary factor in determining the percentage of the equity value of your home that can be released. A senior houseowner can release equity of higher percentage since they are likely to predecease those younger to them, which means lesser period for the provider in which to pay the equity release mortgage. Also as of now, applications are not usually granted to anyone under the age of sixty.

Availing to equity release involves complex calculations, where you have to balance your monthly mortgage payments with the net equity worth of what your heirs would inherit. In this light, it is important for you to consult financial experts who can advise you on the same. This service is available with the special equity release firms whom you can conveniently contact by visiting their websites on the Internet.

Another important thing to consider is negative equity guarantee which ensures that your debts should also decrease in the event of decrease of your property value. Secondly, it ensures that any outstanding debt, after the sale of your property, is not passed on to your nominated successor/s. equity release mortgage thus eases your life after retirement since you pay in the form of property and do not have to worry about repayment in the remainder of your lifetime.



JOEL

Prudence Wong asked:


Mortgage, second mortgage and equity release schemes are all used as synonym for home equity loans and are basically the loans availed against your home. In home equity loans, you are borrowing an amount from a lender based on the worth of your property.

What are the difference between Mortgage loans and Second Mortgage loans?

If you own your home fully, the equity loan being availed on it is termed as mortgage loans. If your property is partly owned by you but has equity, then you can avail second mortgage loans. If you have already availed a mortgage loans and not fully paid off, you can avail second mortgage if the home has equity.

How do I define my home equity?

Equity is the worth of your home after reducing the amount to be repaid on home mortgage loans. Equivalently in simple terms if you sell your home, the equity will be the amount left in your wallet after paying off the mortgage amount. You can get this equity from a lender without selling it off and this loan is called home equity loan.

Typically home equity loans stands for second mortgage loans. These types of loans are convenient for the home owner to make use of the equity of his home without venturing out for refinancing. Also the second mortgage loans can be taken to clear off the first mortgage loans as well.

The impression that selling off the property is the only option to get a considerably large amount is not factually correct. If you want to raise some extra amount for any purpose, second mortgage loans are very good options. In fact you can use home equity loans for any purpose as desired by you.

Many lenders and financial institutions are out there which offer more loan than actual equity, some may offer an amount equal to the difference of mortgage loan outstanding from 125% of the present market value of the home. Mostly the home equity loans interest will be one time fixed rate and need to be paid at a time.

There are many factors controls your decision on home equity loans. Interest rates, loan amount and repayment period are the main factors. If you have good credit rating, you will get low interest rates. If you choose for long term repayment, you will be paying more interest on your equity loan.

Home equity loans are suitable for anybody for any purpose as these loans come with less interest rate. Also these loans are good options for the people with bad credits, as the lenders are willing to issue loans on the security of your worthy home. Any loan is a liability, so be careful about going for any kind of loans. You do proper home work and take only minimal amount required as home equity loan.



STERLING